The Office of Information and Public Relations celebrated December 8 the inauguration of its new premises with all the latest office devices and machines, in Ada Dodge Hall right in the middle of the AUB campus just east of West Hall. Many reporters, journalists, and people from the media covered the event. The reception was also attended by the president of the University John Waterbury, vice presidents, deans, some professors such as economics Professor Samir Makdissi , Dr. Ibrahim Salti (professor at the Department of Internal Medicine), and Dr. Samir Thabet (acting president of AUB in 1984). Ibrahim Khoury, director of the Information Office, welcomed the visitors and explained to them the strategies of the new office, its sections, and the activities of each. The establishment of the new Office of Information and Public Relations falls under the major plan for developing and improving the AUB campus, a plan which still preserves the natural environmental characteristics. Steve Jeffrey, vice president of Development and Public Relations, gave a small welcoming speech and stressed the importance of information and public relations to the success of any institution. Jeffrey praised the efforts of the employees at the office. He added that the new independent space will offer the Office of Information a wide living area to do its job as representative of the University. The AUB Office of Information and Public Relations issues periodically a newsletter, AUB MC News, for the medical center and a monthly newsletter, AUBulletin Today covering the entire University. The office distributes almost daily press releases to Lebanese newspapers, along with pictures and details of the different AUB activities and events. The office also issues the AUB calendar of events, a semi-monthly publication that covers extra-curricular activities on the AUB campus. It handles the coordination of concerts with the cultural institutions and centers outside AUB, and guarantees the publication of AUB ads in international and local papers. The Visitors Bureau, associated with the Office of Information and Public Relations, gives guided tours on campus to visitors. The office of Information and Public Relations was established in the early sixties, and was located at the Main Gate, specifically at the current center of the AUB employees’ Syndicate. It was then relocated in College Hall, Room 306. In 1969, President Samuel Kirkwood declared the accreditation of the office and offered it a legitimate framework. Dr. Nabil Dajani and Hilmy Maalouf served as successive directors of the office. In early 1980, the office was relocated again with Radwan Mawlawi as director, to the second floor of Ada Dodge Hall, next to the faculty lounge. Finally in 1992 the office was moved to the Diana Tamari Sabbagh building, near the Medical Gate, when the present director, Ibrahim Khoury, took over.
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